Process for preparing a spread

ABSTRACT

Butterlike spread not containing a substantial amount of butter fat which is prepared starting from a concentrated vegetable fat cream. The surface average, size (D 3.2 ) of the fat droplets of the cream being 3-7 μm ensures stability of the supercooled cream, so that it enters with a substantially liquid fat phase the inversion unit, whereafter the major part of the fat crystallizes after the emulsion has left the inversion unit and preferably under quiescent conditions. The cream is processed in a spread production line which comprises a device for making a O/W-emulsion with the necessary small fat droplets, a pasteurizer, a tubular heat exchanger and, as sole working, a cavity transfer mixer, which brings about the inversion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns a process for the preparation of a spreadproduct. The spread obtained with the invented process is particularlysuitable for use on bread and shows a surprisingly high butterlikeness,although for its preparation no dairy fat is needed.

2. The Related Art

With regard to consistency, taste and mouthfeel butter is for manyconsumers still the benchmark product for assessing spreads of premiumquality. Many attempts have been made to develop a spread which containsno or only little butterfat but which is similar to real butter withregard to taste and mouthfeel. See e.g. East German patent 225327, U.S.Pat. No. 4,20,9546, EP 96631 and EP 199398. The processes of the priorart either do not yield a product which is really satisfactory or theprocesses are complicated, expensive or require a substantial amount ofbutter fat (melanges).

It is known that a process for the preparation of a spread whichresembles butter with respect to consistency and mouthfeel preferablyshould include quiescent conditions for crystallisation of thestructuring fat in the fat phase. The crystallisation process should notbe disturbed by any kind of working. Under such circumstances the fatcrystals network obtains its highest stability which results in amaximum structured fat phase. Such post-inversion quiescentcrystallisation requires, however, process conditions which seem to becontradictory.

At inversion the water continuous emulsion, containing at least 50 wt. %of fat, has to be cool, with a temperature below the melting temperatureof the structuring fat. When manufacturing on an industrial scale,cooling an emulsion in a quick pace needs stirring, which inevitablycauses considerable shear and working. After inversion this working isundesired and before inversion the shear contributes to crystallisationof the dispersed fat droplets, consequently resulting in a cooled andripened cream with an undesirably high viscosity. The more or lesscrystallized fat globules are desired because they enhance the eventualbutterlikeness perception, but their structure will be adverselyaffected by the high shear forces occurring in the inversion unit.Moreover, in order to have coalesced the liquid part of the dispersedfat droplets, shear forces of the invertor are used. The needed energy,however, is proportionate to the viscosity of the ripened cream, whichviscosity increases when fat crystallisation proceeds. A small amount ofcrystallized fat is desired, however, for stabilizing the dispersedaqueous phase droplets which result from the inversion process.

The spread manufacturing process described in EP 293980 is characterisedby the initial preparation of a crude emulsion. A pasteurised cream iscooled in a static heat exchanger, particularly in a tubular heatexchanger where working effects on the emulsion are largely absent. Theaverage size of the fat droplets is at least 10 μm and preferably more.Its water-continuous condition is maintained until the cream enters aworking unit where the cream is inverted to a fat continuous spread. Therisk of premature inversion is averted by increasing the viscosity ofthe water phase. This viscosity is increased by incorporating a gellingor thickening agent and, optionally, by lowering the temperature. Whenlowering the temperature the fat phase already starts to crystallise.

A cream with a viscous water phase requires an inversion unit with ahigh energy output. But, as said before, it is not desired to expose theemulsion to such high energy. The obtained spread may exhibit goodquality, but no butterlikeness has been reported.

The process described in EP 199398, aims at the preparation of a spreadwhich is fat continuous and which has butterlike properties. The initialwater continuous emulsion, the cream, is conducted through an inversionunit. Premature inversion is prevented applying either of two options:keeping the cream until inversion at a safe ambient temperature, wherecooling is applied only during the subsequent inversion step or allowingthe cream to ripen at a low temperature so that stabilizing fat crystalshave been formed before the cream enters the inversion unit. Forinversion a so-called cavity transfer mixer (CTM) is used. The firstoption requires, however, a considerable cooling capacity of theinversion unit. When only using small volumes as described in the patentexamples a process using a cavity transfer mixer may be feasible. But,since such CTM has a much limited cooling capacity and can not cope withthe heat removal of large volumes, the described process will fail whenit has to be carried out on an industrial scale. The second option whichcomprises inversion of a cooled and ripened emulsion is not suitableeither, because the amount of solid fat formed before inversion isundesirably high.

None of the prior art processes is able to realize a quick inversion ofa cream consisting of substantially liquid fat and resulting into aspread with a highly structured fat phase.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For the preparation of an edible butterlike spread consisting of anedible W/O emulsion which contains 50-85 wt. % of triglyceride fat,comprising the steps of

a. preparing a cream, 15-50 wt. % of which consists of an aqueous phasein which 50-85 wt. % of liquefied fat is dispersed as fine droplets,

b. pasteurizing the cream,

c. cooling the cream and then conducting it through an inversion unitwhere inversion to a fat continuous emulsion takes place,

d. allowing the inverted fat-continuous emulsion to crystallize to aspread, characterized in that the cream is subjected to such coolingregime that the dispersed fat, when the cream enters the inversion unit,is in a substantially liquid, supercooled condition, which condition isso unstable, that inversion of the cream is completed within 30 secondsafter it has entered the inversion unit.

The present invention provides a simple, cheap and reliable processwhich delivers a spread which shows a surprisingly high butterlikenessand which process can dispense with the use of butter fat as aningredient of the fat phase.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a flow scheme illustrating one embodiment of the processaccording to the invention. The tanks A contain the ingredients for thefat phase and the water phase. B is a premix tank provided with a highspeed stirrer where the cream is prepared. Via a run tank C the cream ispumped through a pasteurizer D and further via a holding pipe E to twoconsecutive cooling units F and G. The cooling units in the figuremerely consist of tubes or interconnected tube-like containerspreferably cooled by water. According to the shown embodiment ahomogenizer H is included in the line between both cooling units.

The second cooling unit G is connected with a cavity transfer mixerwhich is employed as an inversion unit. A remelting unit is incorporatedparallel to the packaging machine in order to ensure recirculation ofready spread material as soon as it can not be properly processed by thepackaging machine.

FIG. 2 shows the oil droplet size distribution of a non-dairy creamcontaining 65% of fat which is typical for use in the invention. On thevertical axis: Number of fat globules (%), on the horizontal axis Oildroplet size in micrometer (average size is 5.3 micrometer).

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The initial cream, a water continuous emulsion, is prepared by vigorousmixing of the aqueous phase and the fat phase at a temperature,particularly at least 40° C., at which the fat phase has been fullyliquefied. Since the amount of fat, at least 50 wt. % which is finelydispersed in the aqueous phase, is relatively high, a powerful andeffective mixer is necessary. Preferably, the emulsion consists of 55-70wt. % of a fat phase and 30-45 wt. % of an aqueous phase. Optionally,the usual fat phase ingredients such as flavours, colouring agents andemulsifiers may now be admixed to the fat phase. Equally the aqueousphase may contain common aqueous phase ingredients such as stabilizingproteins (e.g. buttermilk powder), cooking salt, preservatives,acidulants and flavours.

Crystallisation of fat normally is a relatively slow process. In thestep following the pasteurisation the emulsion is subjected to a coolingregime in which the rate of cooling and the eventually attainedtemperature is such, that the fat will turn into a supercooled statei.e. the solid fat content is less than the equilibrium solid fatcontent at that temperature. Instead of getting crystallised it remainssubstantially liquid. Typical for a supercooled condition is retardationof crystallisation which prevents an increase of viscosity. However, asmall amount of fat crystals in the supercooled fat, anyway less than 6wt. % of the fat phase, is allowed and even desired for stabilisation ofthe aqueous phase droplets which are formed during the subsequentinversion step. Such a small amount of solid phase has only littleeffect on the cream viscosity.

The temperature of the cooled cream is chosen so low, that the instablesupercooled cream gets inverted within 30 seconds after it has enteredthe inversion unit, which inversion is accompagnied with the immediateonset of fat crystallisation.

The substantially liquid status of the fat phase when entering theinversion unit is crucial for having the aqueous phase quickly andfinely dispersed into the fat phase which becomes continuous duringinversion. Then, aqueous phase droplets with an average (D_(3.3)) sizeof 2-4 μm can be formed easily. Such fine dispersion helps to preventphase separation and bacteriological contamination of the finalemulsion.

Too deep cooling of the cream increases the risk of pre-inversion.Pre-inversion is noticed by the skilled man when clustered fat occurswhich is a visible signal. When the cream, however, is not cooled deepenough, it lacks the instability necessary for being inverted within 30seconds. Then the emulsion leaving the inversion unit is not or onlypartially inverted, which is apparent from an insufficient decrease ofthe electrical conductivity. Rate and temperature of the cooling regimeis dictated by circumstances, particularly by the nature of the creamfat. The skilled man can easily try out best cooling conditions andmonitor and control the process such that both pre-inversion isprevented and that the cream, with substantially liquid fat whenentering the inversion unit, fully inverts within the maximum 30 secondsthat the cream emulsion stays in the inversion unit. The process issuitably controlled by manipulating the temperature of the cream.

It has been found that for controlling the supercooled status the volumeaverage size (D_(3.2)) of the fat droplets plays an important role andpreferably is not more than 7 μm. On the other hand a quick coalescenceof the fat droplets of the initial emulsion and their subsequentcrystallisation during inversion is furthered when their surfaceaveraged size (D_(3.2)) is at least 3 μm. Said requirements suggest apreferred range of 3-7 μm for the surface averaged size (D_(3.2)) of thefat droplets in the initial cream emulsion. Consequently, stirring ofthe cream should be conducted long enough and with so much shear thatthat preferred fat droplet size is attained. If necessary a homogenizeris used. The present specification of averaged particle size diametersis according to definitions found in Alderliesten, M., Mean ParticleDiameters, Part. Part. Syst. Charact. 8 (1991) 237-241.

The supercooled, unstable cream should be cooled and conducted to theinversion unit at such a quick rate that all the fat globules enter theinversion unit in a substantially liquid condition. Fat globules are aptto get clustered which makes the cream prone to undesired pre-inversion.These clusters become disrupted by applying to the cream during thecooling step a mild, moderate shear treatment, e.g. by using ahomogenizer or a pressure valve. The treatment should deliver justenough shear to decluster. Any excess of shear enhances the risk ofpremature inversion. A 10 bar pressure drop will suit already.

For stabilizing its water continuity and preventing premature inversionthe cream preferably contains a proper amount of protein, preferablydairy protein. Dairy protein is added preferably in the form of freshbuttermilk or reconstituted buttermilk and in such small amount thatinversion is not prevented. A suitable amount is 0.02-10 wt. %,preferably 0.05-5 wt. %; of dairy protein on aqueous phase.

For supporting subsequent inversion and for stabilizing the final fatcontinuous emulsion, functional amounts of W/O-emulsifiers,monoglyceride, e.g. 0.2 wt. %, and lecithin, e.g. 0.2 wt. %, may beadmixed to the cream.

The risk of premature phase inversion can be reduced further by avoidingundue shear during cooling of the cream. Use of a static heat exchangersuch as a common tubular heat exchanger not only reduces shear, butalso, on account of its simple construction, contributes to the economyand the reliability of the process. Tap water and ice water suffice forcooling, in contrast to the expensive and risky liquid ammoniak coolingas applied in traditional Votator™ A-units.

It is known that the fat droplets within cream which survive coalescenceduring inversion enhance butterlikeness perception. They are much alikethe microscopic particle-like fatty entities which can be observed inchurned butter. The fat droplets, being enveloped in a protein membrane,solidify and remain as entities within but separate from the fat phasewhich becomes continuous. They get embedded as separate solid particlesin the crystallised fat phase. However, additional shear after inversionmay damage those isolated fat structures. Therefore it is recommendedthat the major part, preferably at least 70 wt. %, of the solid fat ofthe spread is allowed to crystallise after inversion and under quiescentconditions. Conditions are quiescent when after inversion thecrystallising fat is not disturbed e.g. by working. Without working thesolid fat matrix is formed by fat crystals in their most stablemodification. A beneficial consequence is that the structuringproperties of such fat phase are enhanced and no post hardening isobserved. Said isolated, solidified fat droplets can be observed bymicroscope in the crystal structure of the fat phase.

Alternatively, if maximum hardness has to be avoided, gentle working ofthe spread after inversion is applied to the extent required forobtaining the desired softer consistency.

Fat crystallisation rate may appear to be the rate limiting factor ofthe present process. Therefore conditions are chosen such that the fatphase crystallises quickly after inversion. A fat is said to crystallisequickly if, when being liquid and cooled to the temperature of thepost-inversion part of the line (5°-15° C.), the solids content willaccrue with at least 8 wt. % within 10 minutes, until 100 wt. % will besolidified. The rate is measured when fat crystallization has proceededabout half-way. Preferably a fat is chosen with a proper crystallisationrate, else a crystallisation accelerating agent may be added. Thepresence in the cream of small amounts of crystallised fat, but anywayless than 6 wt. % on total fat, is also helpful to promotecrystallisation.

Fats which show a suitable crystallization behaviour are, for example,coconut oil, palm oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil and palmkernel oil. Also their fractions, blends and interesterified mixturesthereof are permitted, provided the said conditions for quickcrystallisation are fulfilled.

In its appearance and results the present process is much aliketraditional churning, but with the advantage over churning that onaccount of the high concentrations of fat phase in the cream theformation and separation of butter milk after inversion can be avoided.Further the long and inefficient ripening times of 10 hours and more areeliminated and aeration can be dispensed with too, which otherwise couldbe a source of microbiological contamination.

The liquid, low viscosity condition of the cream's fat phase, allows aquick inversion being, from entering the inversion unit, only 30 secondsor less, preferably 1-5 seconds. A quick inversion is necessary, becausethe residence time in the inversion unit must be short. When theinverting cream stays longer than 30 seconds in the inversion unit,considerable fat crystallisation under working conditions can not beavoided which is at the expense of the subsequent quiescent fatcrystallisation. The shear energy needed for inversion therefore shouldbe imparted to the cream during the 30 seconds or less that the creamemulsion stays in the inversion unit.

For meeting the said requirements of the present process a cavitytransfer mixer happens to be a particularly suitable device. Althoughknown mainly as a mixing unit, it can operate perfectly as an inversionunit for the present invention. Alternatively, also a colloid mill, anA-unit or an in-line Turrax mixer can suitably be used, provided theseare adjusted such that they are able to supply to the emulsion therequired inversion energy within said short cream residence time. Forobtaining a high degree of butterlikeness the inversion should be somild that a substantial part of the protein enveloped fat droplets fromthe cream is conserved.

The cavity transfer mixer is a common mixing device. It is described inmore detail in EP 199397 dealing with spread preparation as a tool formixing two separate feed streams.

Its use as an inversion unit has been mentioned already in EP 199398discussed above. Said mixer is essentially characterized by two closelyspaced, mutually displaceable surfaces, each having a pattern ofcavities which overlap during movement of one surface with respect tothe other. The material moving between the surfaces traces a paththrough cavities alternately in each surface. The cavity transfer mixerprovides a unique combination of a specific high input of shear energy,a short residence time and a flow path through the device which allowsthe survival of the above-mentioned solid fat structures. Phaseinversion is quickly realised, so that the immediately startingcrystallisation of the supercooled fat phase can proceed quietly outsidethe inversion unit. Its use as the sole inversion equipment in a largescale spread manufacturing line forms an essential difference with itscooling operation as employed in a related, but small scale spreadmanufacturing process of the discussed prior art.

When measuring hardness a Stevens value of at least 300 g is easilyattainable. Such high Stevens values are attractive because they aretypical for butterlikeness perception. Quiescent crystallisation of thefat phase results into maximum hardness of the final spread. Thisbecomes particularly apparent when the spread is exposed to common(temperature) cycling conditions in the form of frequent moves of thespread tub from the low temperature of the home refrigerator to theambient temperature of the breakfast table and back again to therefrigerator. Then most of the common spreads show a kind of undesirablepost-hardening caused by the gradual recrystallisation of the instablefat phase into a more stable crystal matrix. The present spread, to thecontrary, will soften when exposed to cycling. A spread as obtained bythe invented process therefore is characterized by a hardness asexpressed in Stevens-values which decreases when the spread is exposedto cycling conditions.

Butterlikeness is a spread quality which is easily recognised and highlyappreciated, but which is also difficult to capture in exact parameters.For the present spreads butterlikeness has been assessed during tastingsessions by a sensory panel when comparing spreads having an identicalcomposition but obtained by a different processing. The similarity withbutter consistency becomes apparent too in the plasticity and elasticityof the spread. The plasticity of the product has been judged byinserting a rod into the product and observing the degree of collarformation and when uniformly spreading the product on a slice of breadwith a knife.

The surprisingly high butterlikeness of the spread is also apparent whenobserving its melting behaviour and perceiving its taste and mouthfeel.When the spread is used for buttering hot toast or as a topping oncooked vegetables, its typical melting behaviour is quite similar to themelting behaviour of butter.

The merit of the invention is to provide a highly butterlike product,without the need to use any butter fat, employing a simple, cheap andquick process. Nevertheless, in order to enhance the butterlikeperception, butter fat (and ingredients which contain butter fat, e.g.cream) may be incorporated in the initial water continuous emulsion,e.g. in an amount of 1-75 wt. %, preferably 1-50 wt. %, more preferably1-25 wt. %, still more preferably 1-10 wt. % on fat phase.

One aspect of the invention is a spread obtained by the processaccording to the present invention is characterized in that the obtainedspread shows butterlikeness with respect to spreadability, texture andmouthfeel, even when the fat phase contains less than 1 wt. % of butterfat.

Another embodiment of the invention consists of a large scale productionline suitable for the manufacture of at least 1 ton per hour of anemulsion spread comprising equipment suited for the preparation of acream with an average fat droplet size(D_(3.2)) of 3-7 μm but preferablyof 4-6 μm, a pasteurizer, a cooling unit and equipment for inversion ofcream to fat continuity, characterised in that the inversion equipmentis a cavity transfer mixer.

The invention is further exemplified by the following example:

GENERAL Determination of Stevens Value

The “Stevens” hardness (St), expressed in grams, is determined notearlier than 1 week after manufacturing. The product is stored at 5° C.and thereafter equilibrated for 24 hours at a temperature of 5° C. or20° C. as indicated. The Stevens value is measured using a 4.4 mm Øcylindrical penetration probe and a Stevens-LFRA Texture Analyzer (exStevens Advanced Weighing Systems, Dunmore, U.K.) or SMS textureanalyzer XT2 (ex Stable Microsystems, Surrey UK). The load range is 1000g for LFRA and 25000 g for SMS TA-TX2 equipment. The Stevens LFRATexture analyzer is operated in the “normal” mode and set at 10 mmpenetration depth and 2 mm/s penetration rate.

EXAMPLE 1 Use of a Cavity Transfer Mixer

Starting with a fat blend consisting of

70 wt. parts of an interesterified mixture consisting of 40 wt. partscoconut oil and 60 wt. parts palm oil, 10 wt. parts of coconut oil 20wt. parts of soybean oil

a fat phase and a water phase were prepared with the followingcompositions:

wt. parts 64.40 fat blend 0.40 emulsifier 0.20 oily beta-carotenesolution 65.00 fat phase 32.00 water 2.50 buttermilk powder 0.20 cookingsalt 0.30 flavour 35.00 water phase

Under continuous and vigorous stirring of the emulsion 65 wt. parts ofthe fat phase were pumped into a 4000 kg pre-mix tank which was loadedwith 35 wt. parts of water phase. With an Ystral stirrer operating at600-1000 rpm a concentrated O/W-cream of 55° C. was prepared. The creamwas passed through a pasteurizer and kept at 75° C. for 45 seconds. Thepasteurised cream was passed through two cooling units each consistingof a sequence of pipes, subsequently cooled by tap water and ice water.The first unit cooled the cream to about 40° C. and the second one to13°-14° C. The cream was homogenised at 10 bar using an in-line pressurevalve (ex APV Gaulin) when still having a temperature of 40° C. whichreduces the risk of premature phase inversion.

The homogenised cream after the ice-water cooling step had a surfaceaveraged fat droplet size (D_(3.2)) of 5.3 μm. FIG. 2 shows thedistribution of the droplet sizes and Table I shows the accumulatedvolume percentages for subsequent size ranges. The cream was conductedinto a cavity transfer mixer operating at a speed of 1300 rpm, whereinversion took place. The aqueous droplets dispersed in the formedW/O-emulsion had an average (D_(3.3)) size of 2 μm and an e-sigma valuebeing 2.2. The emulsion was allowed to crystallise and was finallypacked at a common packaging line.

TABLE I DISTRIBUTION OF FAT DROPLET SIZES Diameter (μm) up to Volume %1.01 1.32 2.03 6.50 3.04 14.59 4.06 25.59 5.07 37.40 6.09 49.41 7.1059.74 8.11 69.20 9.13 77.19 10.14 83.83 12.17 92.26 15.21 97.49 22.31100.00

EXAMPLE 2 Use of a Scraped Surface Heat Exchanger

Starting with a fat blend consisting of

70 wt. parts of an interesterified mixture consisting of 40 wt. partscoconut oil and 60 wt. parts palm oil, 10 wt. parts of coconut oil 20wt. parts of soybean oil

a fat phase and a water phase were prepared with the followingcompositions:

wt. parts 64.55 fat blend 0.30 emulsifier blend 0.0015 oilybeta-carotene (30%) solution 0.15 flavour 65.00 fat phase 32.53 water2.20 buttermilk powder 0.20 cooking salt 0.07 citric acid (pH 4.9) 35.00water phase

Under continuous and vigorous stirring 65 wt. parts of the fat phasewere pumped into a 3000 kg pre-mix tank which was loaded with 35 wt.parts of water phase. With an Ystral stirrer, operating at 600-1000 rpm,a concentrated O/W-cream of 55° C. was prepared. The cream was passedthrough a pasteurizer and kept at 80° C. for 45 seconds. The pasteurisedcream was passed through two cooling units each consisting of a sequenceof pipes, which units cooled the cream to about 40° C. The cream stillhaving a temperature of 40° C. was homogenised at 10 bar using anin-line pressure valve (ex APV Gaulin).

The homogenised cream was conducted through a surface scraped heatexchanger (Votator A-unit). The supercooled cream having a temperatureof 13° C. and characterised by a low viscosity and the absence ofclustered fat, was conducted through a second A-unit operating at aspeed of 400 rpm where the cream was fully inverted. The aqueousdroplets dispersed in the formed W/O-emulsion had an average (D_(3.3))size of 2.0 μm and an e-sigma value of 1.7. The emulsion was allowed tocrystallise and was finally packed at a common packaging line.

The product obtained was compared with a product having the samecomposition but obtained with a cavity transfer mixer as inversion unit.Stevens values were measured (Table II) and a panel assessed appearance,melting behaviour and taste (Table III).

TABLE II Stevens value (g, cone 4.4 mm) Temperature (° C.) CTM SSHE  5619 557 10 395 319 15 161 137 20  45  37

TABLE III PANEL ASSESSMENT Scale 1-10 CTM SSHE Appearance 7.1 7.1Melting 7.1 7.3 Taste 6.8 6.5

The Stevens values appear to be only slightly different. The overallconclusion of the panel assessment was that, within the normalfluctuations, the product achieved by means of SSHE-inversion had aquality which was comparable with the products obtained byCTM-inversion.

EXAMPLE 3 Use of a Fat Phase Containing Dairy Fat

A high fat cream was prepared of which the fat phase and the water phasehad the following compositions:

wt. parts 36 of a fat blend consisting of 70 wt. % of an interesterifiedmixture consisting of 40 wt. % of coconut oil and 60 wt. % of palm oil,10 wt. % of coconut oil 20 wt. % of soybean oil 24 of dairy fat 4 ofsunflower oil 0.15 emulsifier (HYMONO 8803) 0.18 emulsifier (BOLEC MT)0.0019 oily beta-carotene solution (30%) 0.015 flavour 64.34 fat phase35.19 water phase from cream 0.12 bacterial culture for cream souring0.35 cooking salt 35.66 water phase

A 40% fat dairy cream (1200 kg) was soured to a pH of 5.2 with abacterial culture. The cream was sucked into a jacketted tank and waswarmed up from 5° to 30° C. At 30° C. souring was started by adding abacterial culture. For lowering the pH from 6.6 to 5.2 7.5 hours wereneeded. During souring slow stirring was applied to avoid flocculationof the fat. The cream (pH 5.2) was conducted through a Pasteur ((75° C.,45 sec) to stop the bacteriological souring, cooled to 55° C. (tubularheat exchanger) and feeded into into a pre-mix tank, where the vegetablefat blend and other ingredients were added, up to 64 wt. % of fat(oncream). The total pre-mix was vigorously stirred with an Ystral stirreroperating at 600-1000 rpm until oil droplet size of the total premix(D_(3.2)) was about 3 μm. After completing the emulsification the totalpremix was pasteurized (75° C., 45 sec), conducted through the firstcooling units consisting of a sequence of pipes, and was cooled to 40°C. The cream having a temperature of 40° C. was homogenised at 10 barusing an in-line pressure valve (ex APV Gaulin).

The declustered cream (40° C.) was conducted through the second coolingunit consisting of a sequence of pipes, consecutively cooled by tapwater and ice water until a temperature of 8-9° C.

Then the cream was conducted through a cavity transfer mixer operatingat a speed of 850 rpm, where inversion took place. The aqueous dropletsdispersed in the formed W/O-emulsion (T=19.2° C.) had an average(D_(3.3)) size of 1.7 μm and an e-sigma value of 2.5. The emulsion wasallowed to crystallise and was finally packed at a common packagingline.

Table IV shows the Stevens values.

TABLE IV Temperature Stevens value ° C. g, cone 4.4 mm  5 874 10 494 15 96 20  53

EXAMPLE 4 Use of a Fat Phase Containing Dairy Fat

A spread was prepared containing dairy fat and a water phase which wassoured with citric acid. The fat phase and the water phase had thefollowing compositions:

wt. parts 34 of a fat blend consisting of 70 wt. % of an interesterifiedmixture consisting of 40 wt. % of coconut oil and 60 wt. % of palm oil,10 wt. % of coconut oil 20 wt. % of soybean oil 24 dairy fat 6 sunfloweroil 0.15 emulsifier (HYMONO 8803) 0.18 emulsifier (BOLEC MT) 0.0019 oilybeta-carotene solution (30%) 0.015 flavour 64.34 fat phase 35.24 waterphase from cream 0.35 cooking salt 0.07 citric acid (pH 5.2) 35.66 waterphase

A 40% fat dairy cream (1200 kg) was soured to a pH of 5.2 using citricacid. The cream was sucked into a jacketted tank and was warmed up from5° to 55° C. A diluted citric acid solution (20%) was added to lower thepH from 6.6 to 5.2. The cream (pH 5.2) was pumped into a pre-mix tank,where vegetable fat blend and other ingredients were added, up to 64 wt.% of fat(on cream) and vigorously stirred with an Ystral stirreroperating at 600-1000 rpm until oil droplet size (D_(3.2)) was about 3μm. After completing the emulsification the total premix was pasteurized(75° C., 45 sec), conducted through the first cooling unit consisting ofa sequence of pipes, and was cooled to 40° C. The cream having atemperature of 40° C. was homogenised at 10 bar using an in-linepressure valve (ex APV Gaulin).

The declustered cream (40° C.) was conducted through the second coolingunit consisting of a sequence of pipes, consecutively cooled by tapwater and ice water until a temperature of 6° C.

Then the cream was conducted into a cavity transfer mixer operating at aspeed of 1050 rpm, where inversion took place. The aqueous dropletsdispersed in the formed W/O-emulsion (T=16.7° C.) had an average(D_(3.3)) size of 1.4 μm and an e-sigma value being 2.4. The emulsionwas allowed to crystallise and was finally packed at a common packagingline. Table V shows the Stevens values.

TABLE V Temperature Stevens value ° C. g, cone 4.4 mm  5 900 10 489 15 92 20  56

EXAMPLE 5 Product Assessment

Three spreads, spread A, spread B and spread C, prepared with a processaccording to the present invention, were subjected to assessment by apanel (n=200) of which 50% of the participants were regular consumers ofbutter and 50% regular consumers of margarine. Of the main spreadattributes, as are Spreadability, Texture, Mouthfeel, Taste and Colour,the panel members have judged the first three attributes in comparisonwith a high quality margarine (RAMA) and butter. Moreover, the combinedattribute Mouthfeel/Spreadability was assessed. Test conditionscomprise: products, having a temperature of 5° C., were tasted afterbeen spread on toast.

Table VI shows the assigned ratings.

TABLE VI Property Spread Spread Spread (scale) RAMA A B C ButterSpreadability 5.4 3.9 4.0 3.9 2.3 (1-7) Mouthfeel 3.4 3.6 3.4 3.6 3.3(1-5) Texture 2.6 3.6 3.7 3.7 4.4 (soft/firm balance) (1-5)Spreadability + 4.4 4.4 5.0 4.6 6.3 Mouthfeel (1-10)

It appears that, with the exception of Mouthfeel, the properties of theproducts of the invention have a score which is intermediate between thehigh quality margarine RAMA and butter. Although the properties ofbutter have not yet been equalled, substantial progress has been made inthat direction.

What is claimed is:
 1. Process for the preparation of a spreadcomprising an edible W/O emulsion which contains 50-85 wt. % oftriglyceride fat, comprising the steps of a. preparing a cream, 15-50wt. % of which comprises an aqueous phase in which 50-85 wt. % ofliquefied fat is dispersed as fine droplets, b. pasteurizing the cream,c. cooling the cream and then conducting it through an inversion unitwhere inversion to a fat continuous emulsion takes place, d. allowingthe inverted fat-continuous emulsion to crystallize to a spread,characterized, in that a cream is used having a surface averaged fatdroplet size (D_(3.2)) of 3-7 μm, the cream is cooled to a temperaturewhere the dispersed fat is liquid and in a supercooled condition, thecream is inverted completely within 30 seconds after it has entered theinversion unit.
 2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe fat of the inverted fat continuous emulsion is allowed tocrystallize under quiescent conditions.
 3. Process according to claim 2,characterized in that at least 70 wt. % of the fat of the spreadcrystallizes under quiescent conditions.
 4. Process according to claim1, characterized in that the fat phase of the cream when entering theinversion unit contains less than 6 wt. % of crystallized fat on totalfat phase.
 5. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that theinversion unit is a cavity transfer mixer.
 6. Process according to claim1, characterized in that the cream consists of 30-45 wt. % of an aqueousphase and 55-70 wt. % of a fat phase.
 7. Process according to claim 1,characterized in that the cream contains 0.02-10 wt. % of dairy proteinon aqueous phase.
 8. Process according to claim 1, characterized in thata fat phase is used which contains 1-75 wt. % (on fat phase) of dairyfat.
 9. Spread obtained by the process according to claim 1,characterized in that the obtained spread shows butterlikeness withrespect to spreadability and mouthfeel, while the fat phase containsless than 1 wt. % of butter fat.
 10. Spread obtained by the processaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the spread has aStevens-value of ≧300 g when measured at 10° C. and with a cone of 4.4mm.
 11. Spread obtained by the process according to claim 1,characterized by a hardness as expressed in Stevens-values whichdecreases when the spread is exposed to cycling conditions.
 12. Processaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the surface averaged fatdroplet size (D_(3.2)) is from 4 to 6 μm.
 13. Process according to claim1, wherein cooling of the cream is such that neither substantialcrystallization of a supercooled fat nor inversion has occurred when thecooled cream enters the inversion unit.